He called cops - they beat, cuffed him

Thursday, August 23, 2007

By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A Jersey City man called cops Monday night when he saw what looked like burglars on his roof and said he was then badly beaten by arriving officers, who apparently thought he was a burglar as he ran to the front door to let them in.

Mathias Bolton, 34, of Palisade Avenue near Bowers Street, suffered a broken arm, black eye, possibly a broken foot, and many abrasions on his arms, back and shoulders, as a result of the incident on Monday at 10:11 p.m., he said.

On top of that, Bolton was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest, but after he appeared in Central Judicial Processing Court in Jersey City yesterday, the charges were downgraded to simple assault and a lesser degree of resisting arrest. The case was remanded to Municipal Court.

Police Chief Tom Comey said yesterday that there would be an investigation of the incident.

"I would urge everyone not to rush to judgment," Comey said.

Bolton said he heard a noise on his roof and when he looked out a skylight saw two men trying to break in, so he called police and was told a car would be sent. After hanging up he ran downstairs to open the front door because there is no bell, Bolton said.

"I opened the door and midway up the steps were two thug-looking guys in jeans and T-shirts, and they looked pretty tough," said Bolton.

In fact, they were plainclothes Police Officers Victor Vargas and Kevin Hill.

Bolton said the two didn't identify themselves or display badges - a point the officers disputed in the police report of the incident.

"These guys rushed me and I heard sirens in the distance and my first thought was, these guys might be connected to the burglars," Bolton said.